Country Boy's World
by MissyDee
Summary: City girl Sookie hates her new situation in the country until she meets a new friend. Collaboration with Ali989969. Rate T-ish. AH/One Shot.


**Happy Turkeyday! To my (our) American readers.**

**This little ditty is brought to you by Ali989969 and myself. As I'm sure you've all figured out I'm a country music lovah! Ol' Jason Aldean got into my head one day and I said Damnit! Ali would be perfect to do this with since we represent the people in the song perfectly! And so we collaborated and together we bring you a one shot that we're both super proud of. There's no way I could have done this without her.**

**On with the show…**  
**Disclaimer – Song and character = not ours.**

* * *

"Country Boy's World"

She was raised up in Jersey  
I said oh Lord have mercy  
Never seen a one light town 'til she moved down here  
She said I'm so bored out of my mind  
Need a Starbucks and a Wi-Fi  
Or a jet airliner to fly me anywhere  
I said do you wanna take a drive in my truck  
Don't pay no mind to that 12 point buck  
Laid across my hood  
You ever been to

_[CHORUS:]_  
Rome Georgia  
Picked peaches off the trees  
Climbed the water tower in Paris Tennessee  
Been to Florence Alabama  
Drank muscadine wine  
Just give me a chance to change your mind  
So before you go and fly away girl  
Let me show you 'round a country boy's world

Somewhere between there on a dirt road  
When I rolled down my window  
She smelled the scent of wildflowers on the summer wind  
With just a bite of homemade ice cream  
And a glass of Momma's sweet tea  
This ol' holler's got a way of makin' friends  
She'd never seen a glowin' field of fireflies  
Or the twinkle of a star in a southern sky  
She fell in love  
We went down to

_[CHORUS:]_  
Rome Georgia  
Picked peaches off the trees  
Climbed the water tower in Paris Tennessee  
Went to Florence Alabama  
Drank muscadine wine  
She gave me a chance and I made her mine  
Says she'll never fly away and she's my girl  
It's 'cause I showed her 'round a country boy's world

Oooh now she's riding shotgun  
Sayin' baby let's run wild  
And go down to

_[CHORUS:]_  
Rome Georgia  
Pick peaches off the trees  
Climb the water tower in Paris Tennessee  
Goto Florence Alabama  
Drink muscadine wine  
She gave me a chance and I made her mine  
Says she'll never fly away and she's my girl  
It's 'cause I showed her 'round a country boy's world

**x.X.x.X.x**

"Sookie, dear, you need to get out of the house," my Gran tells me. I've been cooped up in the house for the last two weeks.

I haven't been able to find a job since graduating college so my parents asked if I would fly down to Virginia to help my Gran out. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself still, but it makes my dad feel better that I'm here. She's been alone out here since Grandpa Mitchell passed away five years ago. In these last two weeks I've done two things. Jack and shit.

I'm too far out in the sticks to get anything but a dial-up connection and my cell phone has no service so the only people I've talked to other than Gran and old man Norris at the Buzz-In are my parents. Gran is in her early seventies; old man Norris is easily a hundred and two. So you can imagine what I've been going through.

I want nothing more than to get back to my life. I'm a California girl through and through. I can't remember the last time I went more than forty-eight hours without Starbucks, Panda Express, or my treadmill. God how I miss my treadmill. Gran told me I can run around the track at the local high school, but it's just not the same. Not to mention every time I've gone past it, there are various kids running around, throwing balls and shit. I am not chancing getting hit by a rogue softball.

"Gran, there's nowhere to go around here," I whine.

"Dear, there are plenty of places to go around here. You just need to learn your way around a little more. I've made the shopping list for the week. Why don't you take a drive into town, get used to the lay of the land? It's not like you have anything better to do."Right, because I've been dying to check out _Walmart _in a town full of backwater rednecks that I won't be able to understand.

"Fine," I huff; taking the list she has in her hand. "If I'm not home before dark I'm probably stuck in a ditch or I've been eaten by wolves."

"Doesn't your car have one of those ESP things? You should be able to get from one place to another without any trouble."

"GPS, Gran?"

She nods, "Sure, that thing."

"GPS needs an internet connection. It seems Burnt Chimney is still in the stone ages and hasn't gotten any cell towers. So the GPS won't work."

Gran shakes her head. "It's really not that hard, Sookie." She draws me a small map of the old back roads I would need to turn on to get into "town". Like I'm going to be able to follow her chicken scratch on a post-it.

"Thanks, Gran," I lean over to kiss her cheek. "I'll figure it out... I think," I finish, looking at the post-it.

I hop in my Honda and make it to the end of the driveway; I stop to look at the "map" again. I go left onto Hummingbird and six miles down the road I'm completely lost. I think I was supposed to turn right a couple miles back at the dogwood tree, but fuck me if I can tell you what one of those looks like. All I see is green, some pink sometimes, ditches and boulders. Why couldn't I turn right at the boulder that looks like a giant potato?

I flip a u-ey and go back to the potato since it was the last turn I saw almost two miles back. Common sense says all roads lead to somewhere and since I was supposed to turn right anyway I think potato road will get me to some sort of civilization. I could be completely wrong. I hope not. Countless miles pass on potato road before it happens. I see lines painted on the asphalt telling me I'm close to Hick Town.

I keep my windows up with the A/C blasting. I'm used to California, the land of zero humidity and although it's not as bad as I imagine it will get later in the season, I don't like the way the weather affects my hair around these parts. So when I finally see the first building that isn't built of wood and made to house livestock I get a little excited. I know the store should be fairly easy to find. I'm a city girl, not an idiot. Since I'm seeing trucks and not tractors now I think I'm on the right path.

Yahtzee!

I can see the Walmart sign up ahead on the left. It's still strange to me that people buy groceries and underwear at the same store. I pull into the lot and park my happy ass between an F-250 and a rusted... Chevy? I think I can see where the bowtie used to be on the hood. Either way, it's old and American, unlike my Honda that was imported this century.

Since it's just the two of us Gran's list is fairly short. Walmart is Walmart no matter what part of the country you're in so I can navigate the toiletries with no trouble. The other side of the store with the groceries isn't much harder. I finish my shopping and push the cart to my car. The rust bucket is gone so I park the cart in its spot and unload the bags into my back seat. I do my due diligence and take the cart back to the cart corral before I get into my car and pull Gran's "map" out again.

Ten minutes. I've been staring at this map for ten fucking minutes when I'm startled by a knock on my window.

"Miss, are you okay? You look like you need some help or somethin'."I look up, and up, and up a little more. There is a giant... hick? staring down at me. He has a concerned look and a little hair falling into his eyes. He flicks his head and his blond hair flips back against his forehead.

"Miss?" he asks again. I realize I've just been staring for far longer than is normal or polite, even out here in the middle of nowhere.

"I'm new to the area and still kind of learning my way around. My gran tried to draw me a map, but I don't really recognize her landmarks. Do you think you could tell me how to get back to Hummingbird Lane?" I figure if I can get there, I'll eventually find the driveway.

He scrunches up his forehead in thought. "Hummin'bird? Let me think a sec." I can see the comprehension when it hits him. "Out near the old Compton Orchard? Oh, yeah, I can get you there easy." He takes the post-it from my hand and looks it over, chuckles, and tosses it to the ground. "Follow me. I can show you the easiest, quickest way back there. How far are you from the orchard?"

I remember Gran talking about her neighbor, Old Jesse Compton, and how he lived in the house closest to hers before he died a year ago. I can't imagine there's a lot of Comptons to confuse it with, but I shrug. "Gran lives near _a_Compton place. I guess they're the same. Like I said, still learning my way around."

He grins.

Oh. Em. Gee.

I think his crooked little country boy smile might just be the sexiest thing I've ever seen. I can't help but flash my own sheepish grin. He's so pretty. So. Pretty. I can't look at him for too long so I cast my eyes down and notice his thick thighs covered in tight, faded denim. Why did it take me so long to get out of the house again? He tells me to follow him and I can't tear my eyes away as he lifts his long, long leg to hop into the black F-250 I'm parked next to. His smile is perfect, but that ass... yes, mama likey.

He backs out of the parking spot like he's being chased and roars toward the exit. Shit, I don't even have my car started. I quickly start the engine, throwing my little Honda in gear and I'm just hitting the exit when he disappears down a side road. Fuck, this sucks. Thankfully I see he turned at the hand painted sign for the local raceway and I make the same left - not quite as fast as he did. I see his truck idling on the side of the road. I know when he sees me because I see his large hand flick out the window, acknowledging me. I follow captain speed demon along for another two miles through a twisty road that I'm completely unfamiliar with. He's riding the brakes the whole time seeing as my four cylinders can't keep up with his V8. A quick right at the water tower and we're on another unfamiliar road. Where in the hell is this hot ass hillbilly taking me? He looked trustworthy enough, but now I'm starting to wonder if I was blinded by the perfect teeth and the sexy ass.

One more turn and we're on a road that looks familiar. Maybe that big tree covered in white flowers was the one I should have turned at earlier. The truck slows to a crawl and pulls over at the foot of a driveway so long, it's impossible to see the house at the other end. He rolls down his window when I pull up beside him. I don't worry about holding up the flow of traffic; it's not like Hummingbird Lane is a major thoroughfare. "This here's the drive back to the Compton place. Any of this look familiar?"

I nod and give him a grin. "Yeah, I started recognizing things after that last turn. My gran's house should be the next one up. Thanks for being my guide."

"Wasn't any problem at all, helping a pretty little lady like you. But just to make sure you get home safe and sound, why don't I follow you the rest of the way? I can help you carry your groceries in." He flicks the locks of blond hair out of his eyes again. So. Damn. Adorable.

I nod and start moving down the road at a crawl. I learned fast that the driveway can sneak up on you if you're not looking for it. It's a little disturbing to see a huge silver grill riding my ass in my rear-view, but it won't be there for too long. I turn and inch my way down Gran's pitted driveway, praying I don't damage my suspension _too _much. Another glance in my mirror shows the black truck merrily bouncing over the potholes. He apparently doesn't share my concerns.

When I pull up to the house, his truck parks right next to my car. He jumps out of the driver seat and makes his way to my door to open it for me before I can even turn the car off. Holding out his hand to help me stand, I can truly appreciate how _big_ this guy is. He flashes me that sexy, crooked grin again before opening my back door and grabbing all my bags in his giant mitts._ God the things he could do with those hands!_

My personal Sherpa manages to get every single bag in one go, bumping the door with his hip to close it. He said help, not do it all. He gives me an expectant look and I remember he doesn't know where he's going. I quickly shuffle around him so I can lead him to the back door. Before I get to it Gran is opening up the back door with a big, knowing grin on her face. _What's with all the grinning around here?_

"Miss, if you could just let me know where I should... Oh, afternoon, Miss Adele!" he says, skipping stairs, getting to the porch just after me.

"Eric, nice to see you. Why are you the one carrying Sookie's groceries?" Gran has been hiding this boy from me? For two weeks?!

"She seemed to have some trouble findin' her way home. I let her follow me. I just happened to see her while I was at the store getting some supplies. Turkey season's openin' soon and I want to be ready." He's following Gran into the house and I get another look at the goods. He has the sexy little southern accent thing going on too. I think I like my new friend.

"How do you guys know each other?" I probe; I'm assuming it a small town thing but I could be wrong.

"Oh, just here and there. Eric here worked at one of the stores I used to go to before Walmart took all the business away and made it close. He was always real helpful and sweet to an old lady like me."

"That's nice," I look to Eric, my new _friend_, "what are you doing these days, if you don't mind me asking?"

"I do home construction. Remodels, add-ons, some general home improvements. With all the old houses 'round here, I'm never lackin' for business." He puts the bags on the counter and leans against it with that smile that seems to make my knees a little weak.

"Oh... that's nice." Now all I can imagine is Eric pounding nails in the summer heat, taking his shirt off to wipe the sweat off his brow... mmm... It's been way too long since I've gotten laid if I'm thinking about this sexy hunk of man meat in front of Gran.

He can apparently read the theme of my thoughts by the slightest twitch in his cheek, making his smile twist into an even sexier smirk. "Miss Adele, if it's alright with you, I'd like to take Sookie out tonight. Let her know about some of the hidden treasures 'round here."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" I smile before Gran can even reply.

Being called out makes his already tan cheeks turn the lightest bit pink. "Uh, I s'pose I am. Sookie, would you like to go out with me tonight so I can show you some of the nicer thin's about living here?" He reaches behind his head and ruffles the back of his hair nervously.

"Oh..." I pause and look at my Grandmother, she just winks and walks out of the room. "I... I would like that." It's my turn to blush. I can't believe Thor is asking me out on a date!

"Good. I do want to get some other thin's done before tonight, so I'll go ahead and leave. I'll be back at seven. Be casual... nothin' dressy. And just so you know..." He takes my hand in his huge one and lifts it to his mouth. "Since I was forgetful earlier, my name is Eric Northman," he says before pressing his lips to my knuckles.

He leaves and I go all school-girl-giddy on Gran. She thinks it's funny that I'm so excited when just a couple hours ago I was bitching about it being so boring here. That was before I knew they grew boys like _that_in the south. Sheesh, I've been pining over my ex for the last eight months. Quinn and I had a nasty, nasty break up and I miss him, but I won't be made a fool of and that's exactly what he did when I got a phone call from an unknown number one day. The perky voice on the other end was more than happy to tell me my boyfriend of two years would be a daddy soon. Now that I think about it, maybe this move to the country wasn't such a bad idea.

At five-thirty I start on my hair, I decide to wear it down. I blow dry and use my curling iron to make big curls that trail down my back. I go light on the makeup since Eric said casual. I don't want to be too much of a city girl... for tonight at least. Everything I have here that is "casual" is sweats and t-shirts. I pull on a pair of faded blue jeans and I find a black cotton tube top that is very plain and comfortable. I pull on my favorite black chucks and pronounce myself ready. Gran gives me the once over. She thinks I'm showing too much skin, but I assure her it could be way worse than this.

At six-fifty-five I hear Eric's truck crunching up the gravel driveway. I take a peek out of the kitchen window and find myself swooning a little. He's in his truck, staring at his steering wheel, he looks like he's psyching himself up to get out of the truck. His nerves are so cute. He looks up and catches my eye. That gorgeous smile lights up his face and I take a step back to breathe. Gran won't let me meet him outside so I'm stuck in the house waiting for him to knock.

I sigh to myself when he exits the truck. He has the casual thing down: dark gray t-shirt, black jeans tight enough to show off his long, thick legs, and well-worn cowboy boots. Oh, the best part though is the black Stetson he puts on. With his light blond hair and bright blue eyes, the dark colors look amazing on him. I can see him take a deep breath before heading to the porch to knock. Only Gran's threat to "whack me with a wooden spoon" keeps me from pouncing the second he does.

As soon as Gran slides past me to open the door, he takes the hat off and dips his head in greeting. "Evenin', Miss Adele. Is Sookie ready?" he asks.

She grins at him, and it turns to a smirk when she looks back at me. "Well, Eric, she's standin' right there. What do you think?"

"_Gran!_" I scold, "Watch your manners young lady." I finish with a smile, giving her the same treatment she'd given me more than once when I was a kid.

"Hi," I direct to Eric, he gives me that crooked little grin I've seen a few times, the one that makes my knees all wobbly.

"Hey," he says quietly, but when Gran's head turns, he winks at me with a flash of the devil in his smile. _Ooh, I might like that even better than the grin._

"I'll see you later, Gran," I tell her without looking away from my new friend and I take his arm when he offers it to me. _Precious!_

He leads me to the passenger side of his lifted truck, one my brother would die for, and opens the door for me. I love that he's being such a gentleman; most guys in California wouldn't be caught dead doing something so chivalrous. I have a little trouble hopping up and he sweetly helps me by holding my hips, sending a little shiver down my spine when his left hand lightly grazes my butt. I glance at him and I know by the shy smile he's trying to hide that it was completely on purpose. I'm okay with that.

He flips the hat back on before starting the truck. He takes the rutted driveway easier than he did earlier with me as a passenger and turns out onto Hummingbird. It still amazes me how he can know his way around these dark, unlined roads. They all look the same to me.

"So..." he starts nervously, "where did you move from?"

"California," I smile, I'm not as nervous with him as I thought I'd be. "I grew up in Northern Cali. It's nice, pretty, but still has all of my perks. I'll admit to being a Starbucks junkie." I laugh, earning a small chuckle from him. He has this rich, deep voice with a little rasp that makes me squirm in my seat a little.

"I've never been that far west; I've gone as far as Mobile, Alabama. Mostly I stay 'round here. Everythin' I need is right where I grew up. Anythin' else is just... extras." he shrugs.

"Extras aren't all bad," I tell him and then go on to tell him about the handful of trips I made out here as a little girl. He asks me what my favorite thing about California is and I have to think a few minutes before I can answer him. What I like is during my time thinking we ride along in silence. That nice, comfortable silence that you tend to only experience with people you've known all of your life.

"I don't know that I could pick one favorite thing. It's my home though and truthfully all I know. I love our weather. I'm in a part of Cali that experiences the seasons. No snow, but it's an hour's drive away from me. I love my 'extras'," I smirk, giving little air quotes. "My friends are there and since I've been here I've been miserable. I love my gran, but I have nothing in common with her. You're the first person I've met that wasn't around during the Great Depression."

He nods seriously while he considers my words. "Extras mean something different to everyone. Most everyone here grew up poor or pretty darn close; there's no way anyone would consider paying five dollars for a cup of coffee when they can brew their own. I think that if you take the situation you're given and look for the best parts of it, you'll find special thin's about anythin' or anywhere... it just takes time." He takes turns left then right before we come to a big meadow just before the sun hits the horizon. "We're here," he says, turning off the ignition.

I look at him and then take in my surroundings. We're nowhere, but I am going to trust him. If Gran trusts that he's not going to take me out to a field to bury my body, I will too. "What exactly is 'here'," I ask, truly curious. I'm greeted with a genuine smile that gives me a different kind of thrill than the little grin I've been getting.

He hops out of the truck and circles to help me down, with another little bush over my backside. "I'm introducin' you to some of _my_extras. We might not have fancy coffee shops or a lot of thin's, technology wise. But there are somethin's that you just can't get anywhere else." He reaches past me and grabs a gallon milk jug with the top cut off. It's like a big cup with a handle.

"Oh... I like that," I smile and take in his tight fitting jeans as he takes my hand and leads me toward the edge of the meadow. His legs are so long he's practically dragging me along behind him, but I'm not complaining with the view I get.

When he reaches the start of the woods surrounding the field, he bends over, plucks something from the ground, and turns around. "Close your eyes and open your mouth," he says with that effing adorable grin.

"Oooh-kay..." I agree, following his instruction. I made a promise to myself to trust him and if this isn't a test of trust I don't know what is.

As soon as my eyes close, I feel something small and soft pass my lips. It's a rough texture on my tongue and I bite down. Ooooh... that wasn't what I expected at all. A sweet, juicy berry with a familiar flavor that I can't identify immediately.

"What is that?" I ask, opening my eyes.

He watches my face carefully. "Wild strawberries. They grow in patches 'round here. That's what the jug is for. I wanted to pick some before it gets too dark. Want me to show you what to look for?"

"Please." my voice is low, I didn't know what to expect coming out with Eric, and I'm sure he still has a few surprises in store, but this is already shaping up to be the most unusually sweet date I've ever been on. And we're only twenty minutes into it.

He pulls me closer and bends down. "See how the leaves are a darker green than the grass and clover? Those are the plants. You might have to sift a little under the leaves to find the berries. If you see small, bright yellow flowers, you're at a bloomin' plant and should find some of the fruit. Just pick the ones that are fully red."

He lets go of my hand, but stays close. He crouches and starts running his hands under the dark green plant he pointed out. He makes a few plucking motions and pulls out his hand and shows me the bright red berries before dropping them in the jug. "We don't need a lot, just enough to cover the bottom."

I start trying to follow his lead, but he is just better at this than me. For every handful of berries I put in the jug, he adds three. But soon enough, we have what he considers "enough" and takes my hand to lead me back to the truck. He sets the jug on the hood and pops open the bed cover. He hands me a huge quilt and nods his head towards the front of the truck. "Can you spread that out down there for me? I'll be right there."

"Okay," I take the quilt and shake it out on a flat, grassy spot a couple yards in front of the truck. I'm not really sure what I should be doing so I take a seat in the middle of the quilt while I wait. A minute later Eric heads toward me carrying a giant basket. Lord only knows what he needs such a big basket for, but I can truly say I've never seen one that big.

"What do you have there?" I ask when he approaches, "and what in the world are you doing with that?" I laugh, pointing to the basket he has in his hands... large, large hands.

He smiles that genuine smile at me. "The basket I got from my granny. She wove baskets as a hobby. I've had this one since I was little. I used to use it to carry snack to my 'secret' fort in the woods... which was just a tree that I liked to sit under." He chuckles again at the memory. "As to what I have..." he trails off and kneels next to me, opening the basket. "Plates, flatware, and glasses," he says as he pulls out each item. "I'll let ya know I made every item we're 'bout to eat. Just fair warnin'." I grin up at him, he's absolutely adorable.

He pulls out several plastic containers. "Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans." Shuffling around a few more items, he pulls out a half-gallon carton. "Fresh sweet tea."

"You're adorable, you know that right?" He blushes again, shaking his head no. "You are and thank you, no one has ever cooked for me like this..." I don't know how to tell him I don't eat chicken on the bone so I don't. It smells absolutely amazing, making my mouth water a little. As much as I begged her, Gran refused to make me boneless fried chicken.

Eric starts to open everything, pausing to set two plates out side-by-side. He clumsily dishes the mashed potatoes and green beans before he places a drumstick and I think a breast on the plate. He slides it over in front of me, hands me a napkin and my silverware before he settles down next to me, crossing his legs. He's close enough that his knee is resting over mine and I welcome the contact. With the light breeze and his proximity I can smell the fresh, clean scent. No cologne or aftershave to mask what seems to be his natural smell. I love it.

I look down at my plate and pull a piece of chicken off of the bone. I don't want to offend him at all and I can feel his eyes on me. When the succulent, crispy little piece of amazing hits my tongue I let out an involuntary moan of appreciation. I still won't put the bone up to my mouth and bite, but I will _never _complain about Eric making me fried chicken. Holy cow! Or... chicken... either way. I'm a happy girl and it seems he's satisfied with my reactions since he finally starts to eat, however he keeps his eyes on me pretty much the whole time.

After a lot of moaning, finger and lip licking I start the conversation again. "Where did you learn to cook like this? I burn water," I laugh.

He chuckles, closing the leftovers in their containers and putting them back in the basket. "My family is huge and close-knit, even though I'm an only child. We would have get-togethers several times a year and everyone would take turns makin' the meals. I would watch my parents puttin' everythin' together. Dad's fried chicken was famous in our family, with everyone askin' him to make it. His mom taught him the process and the seasonin's to use and in what amounts. It's easy, but I haven't found anyone's chicken, my own included, that tastes as good as my dad's did. Everythin' else is pretty simple."

I look at him for a long time before responding. "I love that," I say just above a whisper. "I live in such a fast paced world it seems my family doesn't have time to just be together."

With everything put back in the basket, he stands. Before picking up the basket, he dips down and kisses my cheek. "Extras, remember?" He takes the basket back to the truck and I hear some more shuffling around of items from the bed of the truck. "Do you mind if I ask you to close your eyes again?"

"Last time turned out so well, there's no way I would deny you now," I flirt a little and close my eyes. I just know I have a big goofy smile plastered on my face.

I hear his footsteps get closer and the scrape of the jug getting pulled off the hood of the truck. A few more unusual sounds and he says quietly, "Open up."

I do as I'm told and I jump a little when a cold spoon hits my lips. I close my lips around the spoon and savor the cool, creamy ice cream. The burst of vanilla hits my taste buds and once again I find myself moaning.

I can tell this isn't from a carton. The consistency is different... a little softer, but the flavor is more genuine. There isn't any kind of preservative to make it last in some kind of cooler. I go to open my eyes, but he stops me. "Not yet. One more bite, and I'll tell you what this is."

I smile, doing as he wishes and keep my eyes closed. The spoon nudges my lip again and I open. The same cold, pure vanilla flavor is there, but it's mixed with the sweet juice from the berries we picked earlier. The cream and the fresh fruit together are almost sinfully good. I slowly open my eyes and see his bright blue ones looking straight into mine.

"Homemade ice cream, right from my aunt's freezer. I haven't found anythin' better on a warm night than her vanilla ice cream topped with wild strawberries. These are the extras that make life 'round here. When you can take pleasure in some simple things that are so easy to find, why look any further?"

I watch him as he takes a bite of his own and licks his lips before feeding me another bite. I'm enjoying this, the quiet time in the country; the "extras" Eric keeps showing me. I'll admit that as much as I love my life in Cali, he's showing me something so much... more.

As I take the last bite he offers, he leans in and whispers, "Look over there." He gestures toward where we picked the strawberries. The fireflies are flickering near the trees and I feel him smile against my cheek. "They haven't been out much yet. It's only just gotten warm enough for them to be out at night."

"Oh wow," I gasp. "They're gorgeous." I'm being consumed by his warmth right now and I can't help but feel a little anxious right now. I want to kiss him, I don't want to be pushy though and I'm going to wait for him to make the first move. If he wants to make a move that is, I could be reading him all wrong. I don't think so though.

He stands and takes the empty ice cream bowl back to the truck. I sit on the quilt, watching him as I wait for whatever he has planned next. I know there has to be more... and I'm right. He reaches into the truck and turns on just the radio, cranking the volume. He closes the door and come back to me. Standing oh-so-tall in front of me he extends his hand to help me to my feet. "Dance with me, Sookie?"

"I'd love to." His warm hand comes around to rest on the small of my back as the first few lines of the song begin to play. The footwork isn't fancy, but there's something so different about dancing in the middle of a quiet field surrounded by fireflies. For a guy so tall, he's more graceful than I would expect. He pulls me in a little closer, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine and his scent almost overwhelms me - not in a bad way. He's taking over all of my senses. He's beautiful to look at, smells amazing, his strong arms around me make me feel so safe.

He leans down again, his clean-shaven cheek against mine, and brushes his lips over my ear. "Sookie, can I..." I hear in a husky whisper before he pulls back, takes a deep breath, and presses his lips to mine.

My hands come to rest lightly on his solid chest when he drops the hand he was holding and gently cups the back of my head. The hand on the small of my back pulls me in a little tighter and his soft, warm lips press a little harder into mine. He inhales through his nose before his tongue brushes against the seam of my lips, coaxing them to open for him. The second our tongues meet it's like someone flipped a switch inside of us, igniting the fire we've been ignoring for the last hour. The mutual attraction we share is like nothing I've ever experienced.

I let my hands slide up from his chest to the back of his head. I twine my fingers in his hair, holding his mouth to mine, eliciting a deep throaty growl that gives me goose bumps.

Eric, being the gentleman he is, gives me a little relief when he sinks down to his knees so I'm not standing on my tiptoes anymore. He pulls me down with him and gently lays me down on the quilt. His large, warm body slides up next to me and his soft lips find the hollow at the base of my neck. "You taste like strawberries," he mumbles against my skin before kissing up my neck until he gets to that sensitive spot right behind my ear.

I want more so I turn my head and capture his lips again. He tastes like strawberries too, but I don't want to stop long enough to tell him. I turn toward him a little more and his hand lands on my hip, kneading the soft flesh until I feel his fingers brush against my rear end with a little uncertainty, testing the limits. To give him the go ahead I wrap my hand around his waist, resting my palm flat on his lower back. When his large hand lightly covers my entire cheek I go in for it. I let my hand wander down to his award winning ass and give him a gentle squeeze. My light squeeze does exactly what I intended and he grabs me a little more roughly, pulling a small moan from me. He swallows the sound as his hand moves up my back and to my ribs where he pauses.

We both need to breathe a little so Eric blazes a wet trail of kisses down my neck as his thumb brushes over the side of my breast. He pulls back a little and looks down at me. I can tell he won't do anything without some sign from me that it's okay. It's so different from every other guy I've even gone out with: trying to get away with what they can before sense overpowers hormones. I want him to touch me. I want _him_. I arch my back, pushing my chest out and letting his full hand slide over my breast. His eyes are locked on mine, so intense even in just the moonlight, when his fingertips glide over my nipple. I shudder as the bud tightens in response. His ministrations become more confident and his lips return to mine. He massages my breast as our tongues dual, moving from left to right. His thumb slips under my top and into my bra, getting dangerously close to my bare nipple. I hook my leg over his hip and push back a little on his shoulder so I can move on top of him. He surprises me when he breaks the kiss and looks down at my lips. His hand leaves my bra and he gently slides it down the side of my body until he reaches my thigh and moves it off of his hip, rolling back, moving away from me a little.

"Sookie, I didn't bring you out here for this," he says, stroking my arm lightly, he's slightly breathless. "I don't want to mess thin's up by going too fast. I think we need to slow down just a lil' bit."

"Sorry," I breathe, I truly didn't mean to push. He's just so... I've discovered it's very easy to get lost in Eric. "I know... just... I guess we both got a little carried away. I mean, we just met and―" he cuts me off with his thick, rough finger over my lips.

"Shhh. I know." His other hand still runs lightly up and down my arm. "I can see somethin' here. Why don't we take a few minutes to calm down and I'll get you back to your Gran's."

"Okay," I nod. I have to roll away completely before his hand on my arm threatens to lose my self-control.

Eric rolls to his back and I can see him looking at the stars out of the corner of my eye. He looks happy, not that I know what his happy looks like. The soft smile on his bruised lips makes my heart beat a little faster. He's hopefully smiling because of me. I know I've thought a lot about Eric's physical attributes, but Eric as a man is everything I never knew I wanted. He's kind, which is something I've never really thought about the importance of. His manners and thoughtfulness have simply blown me away. Eric is the kind of man my father would approve of, and that in and of itself says a lot about his character. I've always dated guys that would happily go all the way with me on a first date and without even taking me out to dinner. That would've been their idea of a date - taking me back to their place to get naked. Eric _made_me dinner with his own two strong, hardworking hands.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout over there?" he asks, breaking me from my thoughts. He's still looking up at the stars.

"You," I reply truthfully. I find I don't want to hide anything from him.

"What 'bout me?" he asks, and I see him sneak a glance out of the corner of his eye.

"Honestly?" he nods, of course he wants honesty. "What a good man you are. You're so different from everyone I've met."

He gives me an uncertain smile. "Different?"

"You're... warm," I grin, "Not just physically... you have a warmth in your smile, in your eyes that tells me you would never intentionally hurt another human being. You just... radiate this... I can't describe it, it's almost embarrassing. There's a truth and an honesty in your smile that makes my heart skip a beat, Eric." I roll toward him again to finish my thoughts. "You're sweet to my Gran, which is a bonus," I giggle. "You're happy to be you, not hide behind some disgusting, douchebag facade. Those are the guys I'm used to. I'm happy I got a little lost today. That's what I'm thinking about."

He looks a little gobsmacked, but pulls it back together quickly. "I'm glad ya got lost too. I like you a lot, Sookie. It's hard to get to know people that I haven't known since I was little. New people 'round here are rare. I liked bein' able to bring you out and show you why I'm more than happy stayin' 'round here. If you think you'll be stickin' 'round for a while, I look forward to bein' able to show you all the thin's that are great about this place." He leans over and gives me a quick kiss on the nose. "I like that you feel like you can be honest around me too. You have been... I can tell."

"We should get going," I whisper, leaning in to kiss his cheek. If we don't go now I can't be held responsible for my actions."

He flashes me the devilish smile that he gave me earlier in Gran's kitchen. "I know how you feel... which means we really _do_need to leave."

He helps me to my feet and folds up the quilt we've been laying on. After tossing it into the truck bed and closing the cover, he circles around to help me into the passenger seat. This time there is no way the brushes over my ass can pass as accidental. He starts the truck and after turning around to head back down the little dirt road we can in on, he grabs my left hand from its place in my lap and wraps it in his huge one, resting them both on the gear shift as we drive in extremely comfortable silence. I can't ever remember feeling like this with anyone I've known for so little time.

When he pulls into Gran's driveway, he puts the truck in neutral, leaving the motor idling. "Tonight was... it was the best first date I think I've ever had," he admits and it's adorable that I can see his cheeks get pink, even in the dim light from the moon outside.

"It was for me too," I admit and climb across the seat to kiss his cheek. "Can I see you again?" I whisper into his ear before pulling back to look into his deep blue eyes.

He grins, but says nothing as he gets out of the truck. He comes over to help me down and takes my hand again. We walk up the stairs to the porch and he stops to look down at me. "Try to keep me away," he whispers and dips down to give me a kiss that will guarantee that my dreams are of him... if I even manage to get to sleep.

He walks slowly back to his truck and hops in with a grace that I hope I'm able to emulate one day. As I watch his taillights get smaller I know this is it. Eric has managed to turn my view on a lot of things around in the matter of a few hours. Suddenly living with Gran is the best decision that was ever forced on me. I will always and forever be a city girl, but a little sacrifice is worth the feelings Eric ignites within me.

* * *

**Like MissyDee said, this was a joint effort. She is all city girl and she asked me to bring some country to this story... kind of funny since I don't really like country music. But I grew up where my closest neighbors we cows and the roads mostly have no lines painted on them at all. I'm glad she asked me to be part of this because this is the sweetest, tamest story I've ever been part of writing and I loved every second of it. I hope all of you did too! -Ali989969**


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